Good morning sweet readers! It's Thursday and you all know what that means: another dead tree edition of Washington City Paper has been vetted and cleared by the nation's security apparatus for publishing. In this week's paper, LDP looks at the District's unwillingness to apply the term "superfund" to the old polluted Pepco plant in Northeast. Dave McKenna has the fascinating history of the City Title Game, a contest between the city's best public and catholic high school football teams. The last game, in 1962, ended in a race riot, but Mayor Vince Gray wants to see the game come back. And LL takes a look at how Ward 5 Councilmember Harry Thomas Jr. got his groove back. News time:

The Grass In The Ground Keeps On Growing: Blackmail or a fair offer? That's the question for you and Attorney General Irv Nathan to decide after the owner of the Baltimore-based grass cutting company that's been in the news lately sent a letter to the Gray administration saying he would "quash the negative publicity surrounding the grass-cutting contract and to hire District residents if the city agreed to renew his deal," the Postreports. No thanks, say City Administrator Allen Lew, who forwarded the letter to Nathan. "A member of Gray’s administration, who was not authorized to discuss the matter and spoke on the condition of anonymity, said the e-mail was 'highly inappropriate and seemed to contain a veiled threat.'" But the owner, Joe Lorenz, says he's just trying to move past the negative stories and save the city money. More fun: "'Since this matter is about to take on a complete life of its own at which point I will have absolutely no control or input, I urge you and your office to give this matter your immediate attention,' Lorenz’s attorney, Randy Alan Weiss, wrote in the e-mail, a copy of which was obtained by The Post. Weiss also offered to 'jointly issue a praiseworthy press release' and to 'jointly meet with Post editors to explain why the settlement is in the best interest for all.'"

AFTER THE JUMP: Gandhi in the Hot Seat; Concealed Guns in D.C.?; D.C. Gov Funds Apple...

Gandhi Takes a Hit: CFO Nat Gandhi was in the hot seat yesterday as the council tried to figure out why his office privately changed course on a property tax policy in 2007, a decision that has cost the city $15 million. "The change came in a “private letter ruling” in response to a building owner’s appeal; it appears not to have been circulated outside the tax office and a select group of real estate professionals. Gandhi and aides were unable to provide any legal reasoning backing the ruling, aside from an e-mail that was heavily redacted, officials explained, because it contained information about a particular taxpayer," reports the Post. TWT has more.

Don't Take Your Guns To Town, Louie, Leave Your Guns At Home, Son: East Texas Republican Congressman Louie Gohmert (of "terror babies" fame) wants concealed out-of-District gun permit-holders to be able to carry concealed guns in the District. Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton and Councilmember Phil Mendelson have already expressed their strong opposition to the plan. Gohmert also mused, after Rep. Gabrielle Giffords was shot, that members of the House ought to be legally allowed to carry weapons on the House floor, FWIW.

That is false regarding the last game being in 1962. The game was revived in 1972 when St. Johns College High School played Coolidge. I went to that game!

NE John

No race riot in 1972, everyone was high and brothers back then!

Anonymous1984

"Ward 2 Councilmember Jacks Evans says things are better now between GW and its neighbors."

LOLOL... that's because there are no neighbors!!! Evans sat on his hands and let G-dub push them out--building by building.

drez

GW did eat Foggy Bottom, but most of Foggy Bottom was thoroughly chewed and digested before Jack got in office.

truth hurts

Fair offer.

Translation: Renew the contract Lorenz won fair and square, save millions in taxpayer costs, continue getting the high quality services the city has acknowledged, create jobs for DC residents, and we'll tell Wapo the city stepped up.

Or, we'll keep telling the public about the city's political shenanigans.

Wrong choice, mr mayor.

StrangeFruit

@ NE John,

Thanks for correcting the HRBIC - Head Race Baiter in Charge!

noodlez

FUCK LORENZ!

TELL HIS ASS TO RENT SOME GARAGE SPACE IN W.D.C. 1ST AND FOREMOST, HIRE SOME DC RESIDENTS OFF D.O.E.S. ROLLS BEFORE HE COMES BACK BEGGING AND STOP LETTING THE WASHPOST FOLK PUMP HIM THE BUTT WITH OUT A REACH AROUND.

THEN MAYBE D.C. WILL CONSIDER HIS PROPOSAL.

THIS PUNK ASS MOFO HAS THE AUDACITY TO ISSUE THREATS WITH THE SORRY ASS DON’T ACCOUNT FOR SHIT WASHINGTON POST EDITORIAL AS HIS BACK UP? GET THE FUCK OUTTA HERE!!!! HE NEEDS TO KEEP HIS BAMMA ASS UP IN B’MO AND DIP IN THEIR BROKE ASS POCKETS.

ONE CITY.

Anothernative

Get rid of all the Finty implants who continue to push his law skirting policies. He got the boot for it and they shouldn't get anything less, the audacity of this chump brings back a vile taste in my mouth and the people that try and defend this sh*t well, let's just say that it's very hard to take the high ground with your myopia.

Typical DC BS

Too bad DC residents are so idiotic to want to pay higher prices (on a contract that passed ALL requirements) just to cut grass in order to satisfy another ONE CITY parasite whose business is really in Ward 9. DC cronyism at it's finest.

4OURFUTURE

@Typical DC BS, What's really idiotic is the fact that you can't see the forrest for the tree's clouding your short mind, this issue is about DC residents and the slicksters that skirt the law by not hiring them when they know better. But once they're caught, ohh! I'll do it right this time bullshigetty. You fake Fenty follower's never cease to amaze me, why don't you go take another drink of that cool aid you've been tasting.